Gay Today: World

Ad Campaign Critiques
Bush & Hate Crime Opponents

Compiled By GayToday

Washington, D.C.--A radio, television and print ad campaign calling on Texas Governor George W. Bush and the GOP leadership to support hate crime legislation that recently passed the House and the Senate will be launched today by the Human Rights Campaign.

"This ad campaign will highlight those in Congress who actively oppose popular hate crime legislation," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg.

GOP presidential candidate George W. Bush opposes hate crimes legislatiion

"These ads will educate the public and send the message that Bush and these members of the House and Senate are not in-step with the legislative priorities of the American people."

The ads are appearing during a critical period when Congressional negotiators will determine whether hate crime legislation will stay in the Department of Defense Authorization Bill.

In June, the Senate voted 57 to 42 to pass the language of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. On Sept. 13, by a vote of 232-192, the House passed a motion to instruct conferees to keep the hate crimes measure in the DoD bill.

The ad campaign will focus on those who continue to try to thwart the bill, even after successful bipartisan efforts to pass hate crime legislation in the House and Senate.

The ad will target the following House and Senate members:

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.; Rep. James Rogan, R-Calif.; Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.; and Sens. Rick Santorum, R-Pa.; Rod Grams, R-Minn.; Spencer Abraham, R-Mich; and Slade Gorton, R-Wash.

The $75,000 HRC ad campaign will run for four days. In addition to holding members of Congress accountable, Bush's opposition to hate crime legislation as governor of Texas will be highlighted.

"Amazingly in Texas, where Bush is governor, it is a felony to attack an oil well, but only a misdemeanor to attack a person because of who they are," said Stachelberg.

"When Bush talks of 'Real Plans for Real People,' we urge including real people who have been victimized by hate violence." HRC and coalition allies including the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the American Association of University Women, and others will place a full page ad in Tuesday's Washington Times.

The ad costs $10,000.

Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:

Hate Crime Bill Clears Major Hurdle in U.S. Congress

Rising Tide of Anti-Gay Bigotry Documented by PFAW

GayToday Hate Crimes Series

Related Sites:
Human Rights Campaign

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HRC will also launch a 30 second TV spot today and a 60 second radio ad that highlights opposition to hate crimes legislation by both the Republican leadership and Bush. The spot will air on CNN for three days.

According to the radio ad:

"The FBI reports that hate violence and hate crimes are on the rise. Violent crimes that target victims because of their race, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, gender and disability. So, the U.S. Senate voted to extend hate crime legislation, and the House voted to support it. 175 law enforcement, religious, and civil rights groups support it. The American public overwhelmingly supports it.

But George W. Bush and (Sen./Rep) actively oppose hate crime legislation. They're even willing to jeopardize other Republicans who support it. Call Governor Bush at 512-463-2000 and (Sen./Rep.) at 202-224/225-3121 and ask them why they won't support the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a bill to protect all Americans from hate violence. Paid for and authorized by the Human Rights Campaign."

A new poll released earlier this month by the Garin-Hart-Yang-Research Group shows that hate crime legislation is widely supported by the public.

According to the poll, nearly 66 percent of voters say they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who voted against legislation to "strengthen the prosecution of violent hate crimes motivated by prejudice against race, religion, gender or sexual orientation of the victim."

63 percent of Independent voters say they are "less likely to vote for a candidate opposed to hate crime legislation.